Recently, a friend who is near and dear to me was just diagnosed with cancer. I am terribly sad about this and it’s made me realize that I have been taking my health and the health of all those around me for granted. I’m hoping and praying that the cancer was caught early enough so […]
Reflections about Thoughts, Feelings and the Law of Attraction
One of the interesting books that I’m reading for my practice class is Thoughts & Feelings: Taking Control of Your Moods and Your Life (Workbook) by Mathew McKay, Martha Davis and Patrick Fanning. Cognitive behavioral therapists argue that thoughts cause feelings. In other words, an event in of itself has no emotional content but rather it […]
Wish List for 2nd Year Placement
I had a meeting with my faculty advisor this week and I am feeling so relieved now. I no longer feel confused or conflicted about my field of practice (or area of focus) for next year. My advisor was most helpful in asking me questions to help me clarify what I am seeking in next […]
Choosing a Field of Practice (or a Specific Focus) in Social Work
At my graduate school of social work, we (all first year students) are now at the point where we’re supposed to be updating our resumes to reflect the experiences we obtained this past year at our respective places of internship. These updated resumes, in turn, will help the field placement office find us our internship […]
Running a Group for the First Time
Have you wondered what it would be like to run a group for the first time? A couple of weeks ago, I started a weekly group for pregnant moms at my field placement. The moms range in age from late teens through mid-thirties. The goal of the psycho-educational weekly group is to inform the mothers […]
Healthcare and Literacy: Are They Basics?
Healthcare and Literacy Are Basics But… Not everyone in the United States has access to healthcare or is literate. Most of us are more fortunate and blessed than we realize… We read and watch about the tragedies that others go through and do our best to be of help, be it through donations, volunteering or […]
Got Achievements? Take Time to Appreciate Them!
How Are You Acknowledging Your Achievements? It is now the beginning of a new year. Many people view the beginning of a new year as a time to reflect upon what they have done during the past year and/or to set some new goals. I have typically not viewed the new year in this manner […]
Social Work Internship: New Challenges
Caution: Challenges Ahead I believe it was Winston Churchill who said: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Will I Have a New Supervisor or New Location? The first challenge ahead is that my immediate supervisor will be leaving for another position soon and it is […]
Do You Ever Feel Too Much Empathy?
Do You Ever Feel Your Client’s Pain a Bit Too Much? It has now been several weeks since I have started working as a social worker intern at a women’s health clinic. One thing that I am finding particularly difficult is finding a balance between listening empathetically to the women who are sharing their troubles […]
What Does a Social Work Intern Do at a Clinic?
What To Expect In Terms Of the Internship Interview To give you a heads-up, prior to being placed at an internship, you undergo an interview but you need not be too anxious. You will simply be asked to tell your prospective supervisor a bit about yourself and your supervisor will proceed to describe the agency […]
